(PR.co.nz) After falling below 40% in the first week of the Muffin Break Bean Poll, the National Party is beginning to recover some ground.

Close to 38,000 votes have been cast in the first two weeks of New Zealand’s largest pre-election poll, which now puts the National Party on 42%, up 3% from week one.

Even some politicians have been photographed voting in the poll, which has accurately predicted the winning party in the lead-up to the previous three general elections.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party sits in second place behind National on 29%, but also up on its result in week one, while the Green Party, which was riding high with 17% in the first week has slipped back to 14%.

The ACT Party, which after the first was sitting right on the 5% threshold to win a place in Parliament if it fails to win an electorate seat, is making a slight gain in popularity, up now to 6%, while votes for other parties make up the remaining 10%.

Muffin Break General Manager Garry Croft says he’s delighted that, once again, the Bean Poll is proving to be popular.
“Customers have been voting in droves in-store and online, and we’re thrilled to see politicians getting in on the fun and voting as well,” he says.

There is now less than two weeks left to vote in the Bean Poll. People who haven’t already had their say with a coffee bean can do so at Muffin Break’s 36 stores from Whangarei to Dunedin by placing a bean into the relevant holder for their preferred party. Those who can’t make it into a store are able to vote on the website – www.muffinbreak.co.nz.

More than 120,000 people cast their vote via coffee bean in the four weeks leading up to the 2008 general election.